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Gallagher Chiefs head coach Dave Rennie works with Kobelco Steelers

The Chiefs and Kobelco Steelers high performance partnership has seen Gallagher Chiefs head coach Dave Rennie spend a week with the Kobelco Steelers in their preparations for the Japanese Top League rugby season.

Accompanied by Chiefs strength and conditioning coaches, Dave Rennie joined Steelers head coach Allister Coetzee and assistant coaches in working with the Steelers squad in player and team development trainings.

Gallagher Chiefs coach Dave Rennie said the visit to Kobe was beneficial for both parties.

“It is great to work together in Kobe to discuss and share our rugby experiences and development ways between the Chiefs and the Kobelco Steelers leading into each of our seasons” said Rennie.

The Chiefs visit to Kobe continues the rugby high performance personnel and activity exchanges between the Chiefs and the Kobelco Steelers in the past two years. It follows on from three Kobelco Steelers players in midfielder Naoya Minamihashi, winger Kanzo Nakahama and loose forward Ryuta Yasui gaining from a nine week development programme with the Chiefs during the Super Rugby season this year.

Chiefs high performance manager Chris Tindall noted “The Chiefs are committed to delivering and adding to our partnership for ongoing development benefits and success for the Chiefs and the Kobelco Steelers.

“We are also enjoying our personal time and cultural exchanges with the Kobelco players, coaches and management from our partnership in the traditions of rugby.”

Kobelco Steelers General Manager Seiji Hirao said: “The partnership between the Chiefs and Kobelco Steelers has provided great accomplishment for the Steelers. It is not only developing players individually but offering a lot of influence overall to the team.

“Now Japanese rugby is facing a massive rugby boom, especially after the RWC 2015. We want to maximize all the gains we have got from the Chiefs so far over 2 years, and to win the title in the Top League competition in 2015-16, for the Steelers to be a core team of rugby boom in Japan.”